Although the instructions on making a paper/origami gift box look a bit long and complicated, it is faster to make a box then to read them – I think!

Mitsy from ArtMind, who regularly posts tutorials (check the toolbar on the right), posted a link to a blog where I first saw them and it seems never bookmarked the link, but I have found quite a few other on-line places, the above one among others. If you google ‘paper gift box’, you will come across more, even some videos.
I was surprised how fast and easy it is to make a great box for small gifts and got quite excited when I imagined all sorts of papers which could be used: maps, pages from bigger old books, dictionaries, adverts… depending on who is the recipient. Great way to recycle and reuse too.
Now, talking about Mitsy. I have ordered this adorable bird from her shop, but when the parcel came I couldn’t believe my eyes and kept checking ‘what was it I ordered?’.

She has included crackeled ceramic buttons, plus some of her beautiful art postcards and a fortune cracker. And the white bird came in the company of the red one

and all beautifully wrapped in handmade boxes.
Thank you, Mitsy, your package made our day – our week I should say. You are such an isnpiration, not only your clean contemporary ceramic art, but also the way you present it on and off-line!!!
What I really love about receiving handmade is the personal touch and also watching our girls how they admire, touch, comment and ask when a parcel like this comes in the post. It is such a difference to the world of pink sparkly plastic it often falls on them in the shops…